A day in the lives of Indigenous students at N’Swakamok Alternative School, Places to Gather and Learn emphasizes the value and necessity of Indigenous alternative and community spaces. This short follows students as they learn and share their stories, aspirations, obstacles and accomplishments. Run in partnership with the N’Swakamok Indigenous Friendship Centre, and as a satellite of Sudbury Secondary School, N’Swakamok Alternative School offers students a supportive and culturally activated space to gain life skills as they pursue their academic and personal goals.
This documentary can inspire research, discussion, projects and entry points for further learning about First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in urban contexts. Why should the education system be held accountable for promoting racism towards First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, which often contributes to high dropout rates? What is the correlation between dropout rates and colonial-centric educators and education systems? Can including First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples’ foundational knowledge in curriculum encourage cultural understanding and a sense of belonging for all students? How does creating a sense of belonging encourage resiliency and flourishing? Why is outreach education in schools necessary? Should pre-service and practising teachers be required to take a course in Indigenous contextualized and anti-racist pedagogy?